Trouble?
by licorice179
Summary: She consumed her drink and made up her mind. She would let go for just one night, and see where she ended up. She wasn't afraid of a run-down town with questionable inhabitants. Besides, she was always one for trouble. Rated T for one word, may go up if I add more chapters. Alternate title suggestions welcomed 3


**Authors Note:**** Hello! Back with what I hope is a vengeance. After years of not writing, the bug has once again bitten me. Hopefully my writing has improved since high school. Anyways, if you read, please review. I am aware that this could be considered a fairly lengthy read. Just started and didn't stop till I hit the wall. If you think it's too long, please let me know. Also, I have yet to decide whether to leave this to your imagination or continue as a complete story. Input on these matters is ****encouraged.**** Enjoy!**

She was strong, stubborn and definitely opinionated. She had the adoration of fans, attention from every corner of the planet. And yet here she was, alone in a bar that had seen better days. She slipped another bill on the counter and watched it disappear beneath practiced hands, a shot of whiskey in its place. The bartender never asked why she was there, and she appreciated him for it. He had done his job long enough to tell when someone didn't want small talk. Some perished in silence, but the young woman who sat before him didn't mind. He could tell she just wanted wordless company.

One look at the girl and he knew she wasn't local. She seemed too well put together to come from the slums. This lady had a brain in her skull, although it appeared she didn't know how to use it. If she had, she would be far away from this place. He would never know what brought her here, and his ignorance was bliss. He just hoped she wouldn't get caught in the grime that clung to the streets outside. That she would be lucky enough to escape.

She quickly drained the whiskey from its glass, enjoying the way it burned. She put the empty glass on the bar, and ordered another. She wasn't one to over indulge in drinking, but tonight seemed a good a night as any to let go for a bit. She had followed her plan for so long, always working on the next step. It wasn't until her partner teased her that she realized she hadn't had any fun. Teasing his sister was fun, but that didn't count in his book. He urged her to go out and find something. What she was supposed to find, she hadn't the faintest idea. That was how Leon was. Cryptic to a point of utter frustration.

Usually she brushed his comments aside, never taking them to heart. But this time, he was right on the money. She had known for some time something was missing. Something left unfulfilled within her master plan to life. An empty void that refused to stop nagging on the corners of her mind. An undying urge to just get away for a while. She consumed her drink and made up her mind. She would let go for just one night, and see where she ended up. She wasn't afraid of a run-down town with questionable inhabitants. Besides, she was always one for trouble.

He mindlessly swirled the whiskey in the bottom of his glass. The dealer had dealt him some decent cards for once. He eyed those who sat at the table, searching for any signs of a tell. He had already found his left neighbor couldn't control his slight smirk. The one to his right had a tendency to blink when dealt a bad hand. The gentleman across the way was full of signs, and he knew them all. I wasn't his first time with these men. He had joined their game a few times during his random stays in his home town. He always said he was passing through, but they knew better.

They knew who he was the first time he had stepped through the doors. He was Lizzie's boy, grown up too fast. They could remember him since the day he came into existence. One of the men had taught him to ride a bike. Another how to swing a bat and field a ball. In their own ways, they had helped raise this man that sat before them. They knew better then to share their stories of his youth, for he didn't wish to hear them. He had no connection to this town or its people. They all knew the reason he stopped by. To say hello and then goodbye. For the past 10 years he had shown up and subsequently left, the same time every year. Never said a word except to order another round for the group.

He tossed a few chips in. The bets came around and he sent more into the center. Across the table he saw the man flinch. The hand he held was likely dismal. The first three cards were revealed in the center. He had to keep himself from smiling. The man to his right placed nearly all his chips into the pot. He decided to do the same. The man on the left bought it, and went all in. The last man folded. To stay in, he and the remaining player matched the bet. Another card was shown and played well into his hand. He finally let his smile show when the man to his right went all in as well. He called and waited for the last card. Once it was played, he showed his hand with confidence. He had won the hand, and with it the game. The remaining man with chips was too far down to make a comeback. They ponied up their money, a sense of pride within them. The boy had done well.

He stashed his winnings in his wallet and put it back into his pocket. He nodded towards his opponents and made his way to the door. It had been a long game and his cravings were getting the best of him. He walked into the main bar, greeted by the familiar smell of tobacco and alcohol. He dropped a five on the counter and continued to walk towards the outside door. Harris, the bartender, would have his drink ready when he returned. He was almost out when it hit him. There was a lady sitting at Harris's counter. A real woman, not a child in an adult's body. He felt pity for her. What could have possibly brought her here, he hadn't the faintest idea. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. You didn't go to Harris's to have a good time. You came to forget.

He continued on and eventually found his way outside. It wasn't the freshest air he had ever breathed, but it was oddly comfortable. He had grown up in the haze of factory smoke and upturned dirt. The stale dinginess of it brought back the memories of his past. He quickly pushed them aside and lit his cigarette. As he inhaled the nicotine, the image of the lady sitting at the bar came back, unbidden into his mind. He couldn't help but wonder what she was doing in a place like this.

She glanced over her right shoulder as three men walked out from the back room. They were older and rougher around the edges then most men she had come to meet. They looked pleasant enough, just run down from years of hard work. She turned her attention back to her empty glass. She was about to pay for another drink when one appeared before her. The barkeep nodded at the men who had just taken their seats at the counter. She smiled.

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me, Miss. Consider it a welcome to our humble town. Not often we see a fresh face in these parts." His face was kind, his features rounded. The wrinkles in his face attested to his age. The grey if his beard confirmed it.

"Can't imagine why. Y'all seem nice enough."

"Well, as nice as we are, we aren't exactly known for having a good time. Most of us spend too much time workin to know what fun is"

"I see." The man raised his glass, and his friends followed suit.

"Care to join us?"

She raised her glass to theirs as they cheered to a good harvest next year and a gentle winter. She couldn't help but smile at the sentiment. These were home grown people. Their lives revolved around their farms, and their livelihood depended on them. She realized that this bar was most likely their escape from the stress. Away from the nagging wives and worries of their work. She was jolted from her thoughts when her new friend called out to a man who had just entered.

"You might have won the poker game, how about you try your hand at a game of darts?"

"Sure. I'll be happy to win that, too."

She froze at the sound of his voice. She recognized the sound from somewhere, but she couldn't quite place it. It had a slight, southern drawl to it. She racked her brain for anyone she knew with that accent, and came up blank.

"Looks like you scared our new lady friend here, boy. Looks like a deer in headlights she does."

"Sorry Miss. Didn't mean to startle you."

Her curiosity got the best of her. She swiveled her chair to face the newcomer. The recognition was instant. His sharps feature and deep blue eyes entranced her. His long brown hair intrigued her. She had always wondered what it would feel like to run her hands through it. His broad shoulders and the green rings inked into his upper arms were always an area of wonder to her. What did they represent? What unknown meaning did they hold? She was so distracted within her head, she failed to notice the surprise in his face.

He stood motionless. He felt rude to stare, but couldn't tear his eyes away from her. He had always found her stunning. Her hair and eyes were crimson, her skill so pale it reflected the moonlight. She sat there, as lost as he was. '_What is she doing here?' _ Of all the places in all of Zi, this was the last place he could imagine her being. She was too refined, too elegant to be in a bar in the back woods. And yet here she was, so far from home. He was about to speak, when his friend interrupted.

"We gonna play, or you just gonna stare at the pretty lady. Quite rude if you ask me. Thought you had learned better manners." He didn't know how to respond, let alone explain.

"Aw, leave the kids alone Lou. He's just surprised to see such a pretty face round here. I was to at first."

The second man laughed loudly at his own words. But he had a point. Brad was more than surprised to see her here. He was dumbfounded and speechless. He quickly found his composure, along with the courage to speak.

"First off, what the hell are you doing here? Second, does Leon know? Don't think he'd want you out here. Quite a long ways from home."

"Leon knows I'm out, he practically chased me out the door. Also, it doesn't matter where I am. I can do as I wish without his permission. He's not my boyfriend, why should it matter?"

"That is true, suppose you are your own person. Not sure if I buy the boyfriend part though. He seems a bit possessive not to be."

"I believe I'm on the same page as Leena when it comes to his being protective. You would be too if you had a pretty sister out and about."

"True….. Now that we have that settled, I gotta beat Lou here in a game of darts." He flagged Harris down to their end of the bar and slipped him a bill. "Rounds are on me. Don't let anyone say otherwise."

And with those words, he turned and walked towards the board. He erased the previous score and picked up a set of darts'

"Time to lose again old man."

He threw her a small smile. As he and Lou walked away, she could feel the eyes of the two remaining men upon her. She turned to face them and could plainly see the questions in their eyes. She sighed. Now she knew why he smiled at her. It was an apology for what was about to happen. The interrogation. But she would beat them too it, in attempt to keep them from prying.

"I can see you both have questions, but before you ask I'll just explain."

"Best you should girl. That boys a good kid. Hope you're not getting him into any trouble" She couldn't help but laugh.

"That boy makes his own trouble. I have nothing to do with that. We're both zoid pilots. We've met a few times on the battle field. He beat me once, but that was it. Never again." The men laughed. She raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"Maybe once on that particular battle field, but never say it won't happen on another. You two stared each other the way me and my wife did before we eloped."

She blushed at his words. He may be old, but he was sharp. She had just recognized her small crush for herself. She quickly had her drink then excused herself outside. Her head swam in confusion. He was part of the reason she wanted to get away, and she ended up right in the middle of him again. She reached for her pocket, quickly realizing she had left her inside. She wanted to light up and relax, but she had no desire to go back inside to retrieve her coat from the back of her barstool. She could wait it out for a while if only it wasn't so cold out. She looked to the sky and wondered if it would snow. Part of her wished it would, but only after she was warm and within doors. She shivered slightly as the wind blew. She admitted defeat to the elements and decided to retreat back into the bar. Before she moved a single muscle, she felt warmth wrap around her shoulders. She reached up and felt the lapel of her jacket. She needn't wonder who brought it out to her, it was obvious.

"You really shouldn't walk outside without a good coat. You'll catch your death."

"How does one catch death exactly?"

"Damned if I know. But the way people ward against it, must be possible." He lit up a smoke. She fetched one from her own pocket and held it to her lips. He held out his lighter. She leaned in to light up.

"Didn't know you smoked."

"Didn't know you were still a boy." They both laughed.

"Yea, well. I'll always be a kid in these parts. Not that I mind."

"Must be nice coming home."

"In some ways. So how exactly did you end up out here?"

"Needed to disappear, not that it worked."

"Well you came to the right place."

"Yea, I guess I did." She looked up to see him gazing at the stars. She was about to speak when she felt something cold hit her forehead. She looked up and saw a few sparse flakes drifting towards the ground.

"It's gonna snow something fierce tonight. Should get back to where you're staying while you can."

"Oh." She began to panic. She had just hit the road without a destination. Stopped at a bar when she thought she was far enough away. Her last thought had been where she was going to sleep. It hadn't occurred.

"Let me guess. You don't have one."

"This town has a hotel, doesn't it?

"Not one with a decent bed." She shuddered at his innuendo. She could imagine dirty sheets and roaches.

"Oh. I see."

"Don't worry. I have a place with a spare room. Clean sheets and hot food." While grateful for his offer, her mind immediately jumped to possibilities besides bed and board. She blushed at the thoughts. Besides, she always had been one for trouble. He had long finished his cigarette and put it out in the tray. She finished her own and did the same.

"Uh, thanks. I think I'll take you up on that."

He offered out his arm.

"Shall we?"

She looped her arm trough his as they made for the lot. The snow had already begun to stick to the sidewalk. What was once sparse was now swinging into full force. The flakes caught in her lashes and refused to let go. They stopped at the side of an old beat up pick-up. He pulled his keys from his pocket and unlocked the passenger door first. He opened the door and held it for her. She climbed up and in, thankful to escape the flurry. He quickly made his way to the drivers' side and hopped in with practiced ease. He put the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. He turned on the heat and the radio up. She could hear the faint sound of a guitar through the speakers. She looked at him while he released the break and shifted into first. As he drove, she looked out the window and got a better look at where he came from.


End file.
